Deep voice of reason

July 15 2003By Terry Lawson

Dennis Haysbert, in limbo in 24, but soaring with his voice in Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.

So, Dennis Haysbert, are you dead or what?

When we last saw Haysbert, aka President David Palmer on the TV series 24, he was about to end a very bad day in which he withstood a coup attempt and averted a global war, only to be felled by a seemingly lethal handshake. Is that it for the promising but brief Palmer administration?

"I don't know," says Haysbert, who - despite possessing the most presidential voice since Morgan Freeman - may not be coming altogether clean. "I can say I hope I'm coming back, since I love doing the show, but I haven't got the official word yet."

Though Haysbert's character on 24 is in limbo, the actor is in an enviable position. No sooner had he signed a five-year contract with the political spy series than his film career kicked into high gear. First came his role as the gardener who opens the eyes and the heart of 1950s housewife Julianne Moore in last year's critically lauded Far from Heaven, followed by voice work for the animated adventure Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.

Haysbert provides the deep voice of Kale, loyal, level-headed first mate to the mythical sailor and adventurer Sinbad, voiced by Brad Pitt. "He was a great character to play," Haysbert says. "First and foremost, he's a warrior . . . but he's the conscience of the piece, the guy who encourages Sinbad to do the right thing instead of going for the gold and glory."");document.write("

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"I can't say enough about what a delight it was to have Dennis in the role of Kale," says Sinbad co-director Patrick Gilmore. "When we first started working on the story, Kale was sort of a yes man. Then Dennis came aboard and played Kale as his conscience - that little voice that challenges Sinbad to do the right thing.

"Dennis gave so much spirit, confidence and nobility to the character that Kale's role was actually expanded. There were whole scenes written for Kale based on what Dennis brought to the part."

"It's flattering," says Haysbert. "My voice has always been an asset. It's been good to me through good times and bad."

Haysbert, 49, studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and was soon playing basketball on the 1970s TV series White Shadow and guesting in other shows such as Lou Grant, The Incredible Hulk and Laverne and Shirley.

He was in series such as Code Red and Off the Rack; his first big film role was as the voodoo-practising outfielder Pedro in Major League. Better roles followed in Love Field, Waiting to Exhale and Love & Basketball.